When Stars Become Nightlights
by 4thFromTheFurnace
Summary: The war was supposed to be over. However, tensions between kingdoms plague Noctis' mind as he suffers from lack of sleep. Little did he know that it caused her to suffer too. -Noctella-


**Part of my Christmas Gift Fic Bonanza! I really ached to write a fic about this the more I learned about it, and I chose to write it in a way I've never done before. I think that serves as an explanation that I do not own Final Fantasy Versus XIII.**

An exhausted ache spread through her shoulders when she rolled over to stretch. For some reason, sleeping was slowly becoming more and more difficult. Her pale hand crawled over to the other side of the bed, reaching for her source of warmth. All she found were cold, rumpled sheets. Her eyes shot open and her heartbeat immediately quickened. She sat up and slowly rubbed the sleepiness from her eyes before her amber orbs darted around the large room, finally resting at the window. The moonlight bathed the room with cold glows and soft shadows. This was where she found him, his face illuminated by the moonlight through the window, his dark eyes gazing at the landscape outside.

"Noctis? What's the matter?" her disturbed tone inquired.

His only noticeable response was a shifting of his eyes to her then back to the world beyond the glass. Slipping her legs out of the blankets, she got up and made her way to the windowsill. Instead of looking outside, she turned to face the young man in front of her, her eyes imploring into his own. When he didn't respond, her hand slowly rose to stroke the side of his face. Noctis took a deep breath through his nose, but still said nothing.

She sighed in return, "Noct, you know you can tell me anything. Please."

His dark, silvery eyes turned to meet the floor at her feet before they gravitated upward to her face. With that, he turned away once more and lowered his head in defeat, closing his eyes.

"The friction between the kingdoms is getting worse."

Her delicate hand weaved itself into his grasp, wrapping her fingers around his calloused palm. A determined frown written on her face, she implored, "How much worse, Noctis?"

He clenched his teeth and heaved a sigh through his nose, his hand clamping into a fist around her fingers. He hated to get her involved. She had been through enough already. If only he had no title and no responsibilities to the country or the government, then he could keep her safe. Both their titles had thrust them into the middle of the fray permanently, and it always made everything worse when she became persistent. His eyes gravitated to the world outside the window again, "It would have been easier if you hadn't gotten involved."

After a few moments, with a thoroughly concerned expression, she stepped forward, forcing him to meet her gaze, "Noctis. How much worse?"

He really hated it when she did that. His words lowered to a mumble, "They're talking about overriding the treaty. The borders are too unstable. An uprising is brewing in the west. Fifty-two have died as of yet."

This time, her hands tightened into fists. This was her turf, she was not about to allow them to overstep it, "They can't do that. Our marriage sealed the treaty. Our marriage…ended the war."

He shifted his eyes to look at her, a hint of gentleness or amusement in his silvery irises for a moment. She was so protective over this. It wasn't coincidental, they both knew that. The thing that had at first caused them to be ordered to fight had been the very thing that set them free. Now, something was threatening it. Though, this was serious enough that any input she had wouldn't affect anything.

"Stella. They only need the king's seal. It's a declaration of war. Your kingdom has already put the letter through. They will attack whether we do anything or not."

Her lips tightened into a firm line, "That's not like my father. Something must have happened."

Noctis' eyelids drooped drearily as his eyes watched the window again, "None of that will matter now. We're in the middle of a war again."

Stella's expression softened as she watched the man before her. He bore his kingdom's name, and all its burdens on his back. He never asked for the responsibility, and he was torn over what had come about and what to do. Whether or not he would ever admit it, he did care about everyone.

She took another small step towards him, her free hand coming to rest on his chest, the fabric of her nightdress brushing up against the material of his shirt, "Listen to me, Nightlight. You're not getting any younger and you don't get another hour added to your life by worrying. Please, let tomorrow worry about itself. Everything will work out, you know that."

Her glassy orbs pierced his fierce stare, causing him to pause a moment before calmly explaining, "I don't think you understand the severity of the situation. A small legion is already marching against our western front, and the rebel uprising is said to have spread into the outskirts of two major cities."

Her low, gentle voice answered, "We're both still here, and together, Noct, doesn't that mean anything?"

"Not if we're all dead or divided by war within six months." He deadpanned.

She bit her lip and swallowed the lump in her throat, "This hurts me too, you know. Noctis, you're so convinced that everything around you is darkness, that you don't see the morning star."

Her arms wrapped around to embrace him, burying her face in his shirt, "You worry so much about everything and everyone. It will all turn out all right. You know He'll make sure of it; after all, He's kept us safe this long. And I'll contact my father tomorrow if it makes you feel better."

Noctis stood still, watching his Princess intently and listening, the occasional blinking of his eyes acknowledging that she was right. With a deep breath, he swallowed a bit of his concern as he gradually enveloped her in his arms, one hand tightly around her waist while his other hand threaded her golden tresses through his fingers.

A silent smile curled across her face, "It's been a while, since we've been like this."

The young woman closed her eyes and listened to the swordsman's heart pound against her ear. Her fingers maneuvered to stroke his back, "Please don't worry about all that. Have a little faith."

He unconsciously pulled her closer, "I know."

She continued, "I know it'll be hard. But I'm with you too."

Noctis grasped her shoulders and set her back from him to where he could see her. His eyebrows furrowed in deep thought as he gazed at her, his voice laced with something akin to strain, "Stella."

The Tenebraen turned her head to look out the window again, taking in the nightscape outside, "It's so beautiful, so peaceful. Love, do you see the star? The bright one up there, in the darkest part of the sky?"

He knew what she was going to say, but he let her continue anyway, shifting his sight from her to the starry sky and back. A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth, "That star's a last glimmer piercing the darkness, like faith and hope. Don't lose that, Noct. No matter what happens."

Stella then watched his face and the movement of his eyes. She could have sworn she saw his eyes flash crimson for a moment. Her palm rose to touch his face once more before her fingertips began to stroke the deep silver strands of his bangs. His eyelids slipped half-way closed as she leaned forward, whispering, "If it pleases you, your Highness, come back to bed."

Her warm breath hovered dangerously close to his face, an accompaniment to her invitation. She stood on her tiptoes to press her lips delicately to his mouth. However, before she could pull back from her chaste smooch, his hands gripped the sides of her face and brought her forward, his open mouth descending hungrily and eagerly on her lips. The princess smirked against his lips, returning the actions of his kiss.

It had seemed like so long since they had been intimate like that; and no matter how the swordsman tried to hide it, he longed for it once again as well. Both longed for an expression of the love that they had so declared in the name of peace between their kingdoms. After Noctis lavished one more passionate kiss upon his wife, both parted as Stella made a few steps towards their bed, her eyes holding on him for a moment. He gave a subtle nod and replied huskily, "In a moment."

The blonde continued over to the sleeping quarters while the Caelum prince held his sight on the star outside the window, watching it flicker and shine, outshining the moon in an otherwise pitch black sky.

**Yes, I do so love "Noctella", as I call it. I also really like how it turned out. Give me a holler and tell me what ya think! Or just click that little button at the bottom of the screen. Tootles everyone! God bless you and I'll be praying for ya!**


End file.
